NAD M10 Streaming Amp
Summary
- Product Name: M10 BluOS Streaming Integrated Amplifier
- Manufacturer: NAD Electronics
- Review Date:June 24, 2019 00:00
- MSRP: $2,499 ($2,747 bc of Trump Tariff)
- First Impression: Gotta Have It!
Oct 18, 2019 This video is a short assessment of the NAD M10's sound. Without the influence of tone controls or room-correction software. If you would like to learn more about the M10's tech, specs,. NAD has announced a new addition to its top-of-the-range Masters Series at CES 2019.The Masters M10 (£2199/$2499) combines hi-fi and home-cinema connections, multi-room wireless streaming and high-end sound, in an effort to deliver the ultimate brains and brawn of a home audio system.
- Continuousoutput power into 8Ω or 4Ω: >100W (20 Hz-20 kHz at <0.03 % THD, 2 chdriven)
- Dynamicpower: 160 W at 8Ω; 300 W at 4Ω
- Frequencyresponse: ±0.6 dB (20 Hz – 20 kHz)
- Dampingfactor: >190 (8 ohms, 20Hz to 6.5kHz)
- Dimensions(W x H x D): 8.5 x 3.94 x 10.25 inches
- Weight:11 lbs
Executive Overview
DiracResearch has made a name for itself in the home theater community for itsexcellent Dirac Live room correction software, which is featured in surroundprocessors and high-end receivers from NAD, Emotiva, Arcam, and many others.But the first time I heard the company’s impressive technology in action wasactually in the context of a two-channel stereo system. At an audio showseveral years ago, Peachtree Audio was presenting a simple system comprising anApple laptop as source, a Peachtree integrated amp, and a pair of Martin LoganMontis hybrid electrostatic speakers. Peachtree’s representative, JonathanDerda (a super nice guy who is now National Sales and Marketing Manager at MoFiDistribution), explained that achieving good bass performance in a hotel roomenvironment was always a challenge, but he had a secret weapon. Sonic Studio’sAmarra playback application for the Mac included room correction powered byDirac. Derda placed the speakers where they sounded best from the midrange onup, and then used Dirac to tame the bass, from about 500Hz down. He gave abrief before-and-after demonstration of the room correction’s effects, and theresults were truly remarkable. It seemed to me that if audiophiles could makepeace with the notion of DSP in the signal path (something many analog puristsmay never consider), Dirac’s tech had the potential to be a game-changer fortackling room acoustics, which has always been one of the trickiest aspects ofachieving good sound. Unfortunately, at the time, it wasn’t really ready for prime time;it only worked on a Mac running Amarra, and couldn’t be applied to any othersource component. The user also had to purchase a calibrated microphone from athird party, and needed to be pretty tech-savvy in order to operate thesoftware. Nevertheless, Dirac was clearly onto something special. Fast forwardto 2019, and practically all of Dirac’s former limitations have vanished. Nowthe technology has been fully integrated into two stereo hardware products fromNAD, with more coming on the horizon. First to arrive was the NAD C 658 BluOSStreaming DAC (originally $1,500 but now $1,649 due to Trump Tariff), which was launched in December of 2018, and justreceived a software update enabling Dirac Live in the spring of 2019. Nextcame the subject of this preview, the NAD M10 BluOS Streaming Amplifier($2,499 but now $2,747 due to Trump Tariff).
NAD M10 Rear Backpanel - note the dual subwoofer outputs and high quality speaker binding posts
Asits name would suggest, the M10 is an all-in-one integrated amp with streamingcapabilities built right in. In some ways, it could be described as a lifestyleproduct. It’s small (8.5 x 3.94 x 10.25 inches), sleek, and it providesa simple, one-box audio solution; just add the speakers of your choice andyou’re good to go. But as part of NAD’s high-end Masters Series, the M10 ispacked with tech that sets it apart from less expensive all-in-one devices,such as the Sonos Amp ($599), or the Powernode 2i ($799) from NAD’s sisterbrand, Bluesound. From a design perspective, the M10 definitely looks like apremium product. The chassis is made from a single piece of brushed, extruded aluminum,with gently curved edges. The top panel of the unit is covered in GorillaGlass, as is the front, which is dominated by a 7-inch LCD touchscreen that candisplay VU metersor album artwork. Most people will seldom touch the M10 though, opting insteadto use the free BluOS app, which is available for Android, Apple iOS, desktopcomputers, and several Smart Home control systems, including Crestron,Control4, and Lutron. Hands-free voice control via Alexaand Siri is also supported. The BluOS system can stream directly from Spotify,Tidal, Qobuz, and many other services, and also supports both Apple’s Airplay 2protocol and Roon. The M10’s Bluetooth streaming capability includes supportfor the latest aptX HD codec, and the amp can also send a Bluetooth signal towireless headphones. In addition to ethernet, WiFi, and Bluetooth streamingsources, the M10 has three digital inputs (coaxial, optical, and HDMI witheARC), and two line-level analog inputs. Outputs include one pair ofhigh-quality speaker terminals, a set of preamp outs on RCA jacks, and twosubwoofer outputs, for which the user can set any low-pass frequency between 40and 200Hz. (There is no high-pass for the main speakers; they receive afull-range signal whether or not a sub is used.)
Buy Nad M10
NAD M10: Small, But Packs A Punch
TheM10’s internal DAC is built around a 32-bit/384kHz ESS 9028 Sabre chip, chosen for its “highprecision, low noise, and unique jitter reduction circuit,” and for itsprogrammable output filter, which allows it to be fine-tuned for MQAcertification. The M10 delivers 100 watts of continuous “full disclosure” power per channel(NAD is reliably transparent with power ratings and that's a two channels driven rating), with 160 watts (into 8Ω) andover 300 watts (into 4Ω) of dynamic power on tap. To achieve these numbers fromsuch a small amplifier, NAD uses a Hypex nCore(Class D) amplificationstage, which boasts “nearly immeasurable noise and distortion,” inaddition to high efficiency. The final piece of the M10’s puzzle is thatbuilt-in Dirac Live room correction, which is now controlled by a user-friendlymobile app, and is set up using a supplied mic. The version included with theM10 allows the user to adjust bass frequencies up to 500Hz, but the full-rangeversion can be purchased as an add-on, as can other Dirac solutions, such asmulti-sub management.
Mostof us will never have a custom-designed listening space with room dimensionsand building materials chosen for their ideal acoustic properties, and it makesa lot of sense to include a sophisticated room correction system in productslike the M10, which will likely be used by people who value style as much assound quality. But until recently, products like this were a relative rarity.In years past, I have heard just a few compelling room correction demos from specialtyaudio hardware companies (such as DEQX and Lyngdorf), but now we’re starting tosee solutions like Dirac Live appear in more mainstream gear. In May of 2019,Arcam announced a new flagship integrated amp called the SA30, which alsofeatures Dirac Live. And Anthem’s excellent STR Integrated Amplifier featuresthe recently-upgraded ARC Genesis room correction system. Will room correctionbecome a must-have feature for integrated amps moving forward? Share yourthoughts in the related forum thread below.
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Recent Forum Posts:
killdozzer, post: 1413529, member: 68331
Is this a touch-screen?
Yes. Though NAD initially claimed it would be a touchscreen with close-proximity sensor, that features isn't there. You have to actually touch it. That said, it works GREAT! I love mine.
Is this a touch-screen?
As I said on the other forum, any size at all. What limits it is the BluOS app capability of handling something like 200,000 tracks.
Anybody know the largest USB HDD/SDD that can be utilized by the NAD M10?
Nad M10 Streaming Amplifier
Others (like me) can't pay an extra 10% to 25% for nothing more, and I don't appreciate that I have to. Glad I got in on the M10 before it hit. For the ‘well-heeled’ it's not hurting.